• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.46-53
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• 2014

Purpose: We conducted this study in order to determine clinical features and prognostic factors in adults with acute tetrodotoxin (TTX) poisoning caused by ingestion of puffer fish. Methods: In this retrospective study, 107 patients were diagnosed with TTX poisoning. The subjects were divided into two groups according to duration of treatment; Group I, patients were discharged within 48 hours (n=76, 71.0%), Group II patients were discharged after more than 48 hours (n=31, 29.0%). Group II was subsequently divided into two subgroups [IIa (n=12, 11.2%), IIb (n=19, 17.8%)] according to the need for mechanical ventilation support. Results: In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the predictors of the need for treatment over 48 hours were dizziness (odds ratio [OR], 4.72; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.59-12.83), time interval between onset of symptom and ingestion (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.16-0.97), $PaCO_2$<35 mmHg (OR, 8.37; 95% CI, 2.37-23.59). In addition, predictors of the need for mechanical ventilation were a time interval between onset of symptoms and ingestion (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.11-0.96) and $PaCO_2$<35 mmHg (OR, 5.65; 95% CI, 1.96-18.66). Conclusion: Overall, dizziness, time interval between onset of symptoms and ingestion, ${\Delta}DBP$ and $PaCO_2$<35 mmHg predict the need for treatment over 48 hours, time interval between onset of symptoms and ingestion and $PaCO_2$<35 mmHg predict the need for mechanical ventilation support after acute TTX poisoning.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.849-862
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• 2017

With growing interests in using bacterial biopolymers in geotechnical practices, identifying mechanical properties of soft gel-like biopolymers is important in predicting their efficacy in soil modification and treatment. As one of the promising candidates, dextran was found to be produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The model bacteria utilize sucrose as working material and synthesize both soluble and insoluble dextran which forms a complex and inhomogeneous polymer network. However, the traditional rheometer has a limitation to capture in situ properties of inherently porous and inhomogeneous biopolymers. Therefore, we used the particle tracking microrheology to characterize the material properties of the dextran polymer. TEM images revealed a range of pore size mostly less than $20{\mu}m$, showing large pores > $2{\mu}m$ and small pores within the solid matrix whose sizes are less than $1{\mu}m$. Microrheology data showed two distinct regimes in the bacterial dextran, purely viscous pore region of soluble dextran and viscoelastic region of the solid part of insoluble dextran matrix. Diffusive beads represented the soluble dextran dissolved in an aqueous phase, of which viscosity was three times higher than the growth medium viscosity. The local properties of the insoluble dextran were extracted from the results of the minimally moving beads embedded in the dextran matrix or trapped in small pores. At high frequency (${\omega}>0.2Hz$), the insoluble dextran showed the elastic behavior with the storage modulus of ~0.1 Pa. As frequency decreased, the insoluble dextran matrix exhibited the viscoelastic behavior with the decreasing storage modulus in the range of ${\sim}0.1-10^{-3}Pa$ and the increasing loss modulus in the range of ${\sim}10^{-4}-1\;Pa$. The obtained results provide a compilation of frequency-dependent rheological or viscoelastic properties of soft gel-like porous biopolymers at the particular conditions where soil bacteria produce bacterial biopolymers in subsurface.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 2016

This paper evaluates the interface shear strength of HDPE textured geomembrane. The interface shear strength between textured geomembrane and marl, and textured geomembrane and woven geotextile were measured; and the smooth geomembrane was used to evaluate the effect of "texture" on the interface shear strength. The interface shear strength was measured using a large direct shear testing device under several conditions including the presence of water, and the normal stresses that were 12, 24, 45, 100, 500, and 1,000 kPa. From testing results, it was found that there was meaningful reduction in the interface shear strength in the presence of water, but the effect of normal stress was not clear. The interface shear strength was measured to be significantly different for smooth geomembrane, whose strength was measured to be as small as half that of the textured geomembrane.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 1988

To investigate whether malignant behavior of skin tumor correlates with changes in the level of proteolytic activities in skin tumors, rats were treated with 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene followed by photbor ester. Tumors induced upon the treatrnents exhibited more than 20-fold increase in the activity of plasminogen activator and about 3-fold of plasmin-like activity. as compared to those in treated controls. Furthermore, the former activity was raised to about 6-fold even in the preneoplastic dssues of the skin tissues. On the other hand, the proteolytic activity against casein and insulin decreased to several-fold in the tumor tissues while antitrvpsin activity remained similar in both tumor and controls. Thus, the increase in the activities of plasmInogen activator and plasminlike enzyme appears to occur as a charaderistic to skin cancer and may involve in invasion and metsstasis of the tumor.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2022

The effect of the bias network on the performance of the W-band power amplifier(PA) was investigated. The performances of the typical RC and radial stub networks were examined, and a hybrid network was proposed for W-band application and its performance was confirmed. To verify this, a W-band PA was designed using a 60-nm GaN pHEMT process. When hybrid networks were applied, the PA had improved stability in all frequency bands, secured about 9 dB of power gain at operating frequencies 87 GHz to 93 GHz, and the maximum PAE was found to be about 12.3% at output power of 26.7 dBm.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.672-676
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• 1997

Microsomal phospholipase D (PLD) in rat brain was solubilized employing 0.2 % taurodeoxycholate in high ionic strength. Phopholipase D activity was determined by measuring product phophatidic acid (PA) using isotope-labelled dipalmitoylphophatidylcholine as a substrate. The solubilized PLD showed an optimal pH of 6.5 and the highest activity at 30$^{\circ}C.$ These properties were similar to those of microsomal PLD before solubilization. The stimulatory effect of oleic acid was observed at the concentration of 4 mM. When effects of metal ions on PLD activity were examined, alkaline earth metals such as $Mg^{2+},\; Ca^{2+},\; Sr^{2+}, \;Ba^{2+}$ promoted the PA production but $Cu^{2+},\; Cd^{2+},\; Al^{3+},\; Ni^{2+},\; V^{5+}$ showed inhibitory effects.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.153-159
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• 2016

(-)-Epicatechin gallate (ECG) is a polyphenol compound of green tea exhibiting biological activities, such as antioxidant and anticancer effects. To examine the effect of ECG on porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM), oocytes were treated with 0-, 5-, 15-, and $25{\mu}M$ ECG. After maturation, we investigated nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and subsequent embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). After 42 hours of IVM, the $5{\mu}M$ group exhibited significantly increased (p< 0.05) nuclear maturation (89.8%) compared with the control group (86.1%). However, the $25{\mu}M$ group observed significantly decreased (p< 0.05) nuclear maturation (83.5%). In intracellular maturation assessment the 5-, 15-, and $25{\mu}M$ groups had significantly increased (p< 0.05) GSH levels and decreased ROS levels compared with the controls. The 5- and $15{\mu}M$ group showed significantly increased (p< 0.05) embryo formation rates and total cell number of blastocysts after PA (18% and 68.9, 15% and 85.1 vs. 12% and 59.5, respectively) compared with controls. Although the $25{\mu}M$ group observed significantly lower blastocyst formation rates after PA (27.6% vs. 23.2%) than control group, the $5{\mu}M$ group showed significantly increased blastocyst formation rates after PA (37.2% vs. 23.2%) compared to the control group. Furthermore, the $5{\mu}M$ group measured significantly increased blastocyst formation rates (20.7% vs. 8.6%) and total cell number after IVF ($88.3{\pm}1.5$ vs. $58.0{\pm}3.6$) compared to the control group. The treatment of $5{\mu}M$ ECG during IVM affectively improved the porcine embryonic developmental competence by regulating intracellular oxidative stress during IVM.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.279-284
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• 1999

Thermal analyses were conducted in a thermogravimetric analyzer by isothermal technique in order to characterize the Korean anthracites-nitrogen oxides reaction. The tested coal sample was Dogae anthracites and compared with SP-1 graphite. Carbon-NO and carbon-N$_2$O reactions were carried out with respect to isothermal reaction temperatures (550$^{\circ}C$-900$^{\circ}C$) and reactant gas partial pressures (5 kPa∼20 kPa). In NO reaction, measured reaction orders of NO concentration and activation energy were 0.45∼0.96 and 39∼l12 kJ/mol, respectively. In N$_2$O reaction, measured reaction orders of N$_2$O concentration and activation energy were 0.62∼0.87 and 190∼215.3 kJ/mol, respectively. Compared the Korean anthracites-nitrogen oxides reaction with the combustion reaction, the reaction rate in the oxidation below 700$^{\circ}C$ decreases in the order O$_2$>NO>N$_2$O. But above 700$^{\circ}C$, the reaction rate of N$_2$O is faster than that of NO.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2012

Purpose: The characteristics of in-transit vibration stress and possible damage to packaged apples were examined. Methods: A simulated transportation environment with a specific power density profile was used for vibration impact experiments to determine the resulting decrease in packaged apple quality. Apples with or without vibration stress were stored at low temperature ($5{\pm}0.8^{\circ}C$, 75-85% relative humidity) for 30 days. Statistically significant differences (p ${\leq}$ 0.05) were found between apples with and without vibration stress for concentration of oxygen ($O_2$; 11.2% and 14.1%, respectively; initially $29{\pm}0.4%$), carbon dioxide ($CO_2$; 26.4% and 21.8%; initially $1{\pm}0.2%$), and ethylene (79.4 ${\mu}LL^{-1}$ and 55.6 ${\mu}LL^{-1}$; initially $14.1{\pm}0.6{\mu}LL^{-1}$) in the headspace of a gas-collecting container after 30 days of storage. Results: Significant differences were also measured for apples with and without vibration stress with respect to soluble solid content (15.4% and 14.9%, respectively; initially $12.9{\pm}0.8%$ and $13.1{\pm}1.1%$), weight loss (10.1% and 8.2%), and firmness (139.7 kPa and 163.3 kPa; initially $213.8{\pm}6.2$ kPa and $209.1{\pm}7.9$ kPa) after 30 days of storage. Conclusions: The vibration stress clearly accelerated the degradation of apple quality during storage, resulting in increased weight loss, soluble solid content, and headspace $CO_2$ and ethylene production, and decreased firmness and headspace $O_2$.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 1992

To elucidate a part of phosphorus cycle an'd the nutritional status of phosphorus. the degradation rates of organic phosphate by phosphatase activity (PA). were studied at the water column of Lake Soyang. from March 1900 to April 1991. Phosphatase activity showed the range of 1-2220 nMillhr. Its maximum value was recortled on August and minimum during October and November. The PA and chlorophyll u v~luess howed high correlation coefficent (0.69). and the values of specific astivity was highest during Winter, 45-12\ulcorner nMihripg chl. a, and lowest on October. 2 nMl hripg chl. 11. The values of PA and bioavailable dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) showed negative correlation in surface water. During destratification period (Oct. and Nov. 1990). the values of PA were about 11240 times lower than those during August albeit high concentration of chlorophyll a (1.7- 7.2 mglm'). Such results seem to be cause'd by DIP supply from the metalimnion. hypolimnion ant1 sediment. With these results. phosphate was sufficient to sustain the biomass in Autumn. and internal loading of phosphate shoultl accelerate the eutrophication in Lake Soyang.